The Gun
by Jamiejamesd
Summary: Prompto is a trained assassin, his next target? Prince Noctis.
1. chapter 1

I glance down at the papers in my hand. "Yeah, I can do this." I say tonelessly.

"We know you can, but how much is it gonna cost?" The bigger man says. I look up and shrug.

"My normal is one mil. Since he's the prince I'm thinking two mil. What do you have against him anyway?" I ask. I flip to the page with a picture of him. His hair drapes in front of his face, and his blue eyes are piercing.

"Deal. But it's none of your business why we want him dead. You're just the gun." The skinner man sneers. I pull out my gun and twirl it around my finger. The men stare at me, scared I'll shoot.

"Yeah, I know. When do you want this done by?" I ask.

"As soon as possible." Skinny says. I nod my head.

"Right. There's a ball coming up. I could get an invitation and shoot him then, or not and just shoot him from far away. Either way works for me." I say. I'm used to this job, how brutal you have to be. You can't feel or you'll die. So what if I have to be the exact opposite of me? As long as I can get the money I need to live, I'll be fine.

"Get up close, but make sure no one knows you did it. Maybe pull him away somehow and shoot him privately." Bigger man says.

"And how would you suggest I do that? Should I seduce him?" I ask. Though I'm not a girl, I'm still good at seducing. It does make me uncomfortable though.

"Yeah sure, do that. Need anything else?" Bigger says. I think, then I grin.

"A camera."

Breaklinebreaklinebreaklinebreaklinebreak

I look into the mirror and smile. The camera hangs around my neck, and my suit looks flawless. I play with my hair until it looks perfect, which by most standards means unkempt. Tonight is the night the prince will die. I don't have any problems with him, but a job is a job.

I check to make sure my gun and barcode are expertly concealed, and the device to hide my gun from any searches is in my pocket. I glance at myself one last time before heading out the door.

Once at the palace, I plaster a huge smile on my face and start taking picture of random things, most of which turn out pretty well.

I quickly walk up the steps where huge men stand at the doors are asking for invitations, then searching people. Easy. I step up calmly and hand my letter to a tall man. He looks it over then nods. He waves me off to the line of people without bags. I turn on the my device and walk through the metal detector. It doesn't go off. I calmly walk into the ballroom. Men in tuxes walk around flirting with women, and some with other men. Women wearing all sorts of dresses gather in groups and gossip about who knows what. I walk to the middle of the ballroom where people are milling about and wait for the prince to arrive.

Not 20 minutes later a man calls out "Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum." Once he walks in we all bow. He walks up to his father, the king, and smiles at him, before turning to the rest of us.

"Welcome, and thank you for coming. Today is a great day for me, for it is my birthday. I am thankful for you all coming to celebrate with me. Please enjoy the snacks and refreshments." The prince announces. He walks down the stairs and people start talking again. I know not to go and try now, so I head to the snack bar.

I find a seat and sit down with my plate of food. I watch people, and occasionally take photos. I notice that the Prince looks rather uncomfortable. It's not that he is out of place, it's more of him standing out but not wanting to.

Two hours later, I'm starting to get bored. Then the Prince starts heading my way. I get up and head towards the cooked fish. I start to pile some on when Noctis arrives. I turn and purposely bump into him, knocking some of my food onto myself.

"I am so sorry." Noctis says. I smile kindly at him.

"It's no big deal." I say. I grab a napkin and quickly wipe off the food. "My name's Prompto, nice to meet you Highness." I say with a slight bow.

"Oh, I'm, well you know who I am, but call me Noctis." He says. I smile and nod.

"I'm so sorry for bumping into you, Noct." I say.

"It's no big deal. How are you enjoying the party?" Noctis asks.

"Pretty good, though I have no one to dance with!" I joke.

"Well then, I can't let one of my esteemed guest go without a dance, so would you care to join me?" Noctis asks.

"Really? Yeah sure!" I smile. I take his hand and put down my camera. It's so easy to get along with him, why do they want me to kill him? I shake my head. I can't be think like that. A job is a job, and this job seems to be going splendid.


	2. Two

We dance for quite a while, through many songs. Noctis dies of laughter when I pull out my 'best moves', which means throwing my hands up and swinging my hips. I must have looked like some crazy monkey.

I honestly enjoy his company. We talk about random things, like our favorite food and other small things. I had made sure I memorized my backstory, and knew exactly how to get close to Noctis. I did some research and found he never really had a best friend. Since I am his age I thought that would be a good way to get close.

Once our feet get tired we head back to the snacks, which I eat a lot of, I also drink a few drinks. When I was little I was fat, but when I grew up and became an assassin I had to lose the weight. Now with my daily workout I don't have to worry as much, but if I eat too much I feel disgusted.

I glance up at Noctis and smile. "So, what's your favorite video game?" I ask.

"Hmm, King's Knight." Noctis decided. I jump up.

"Me too!" I yell, and it really is. I might be a trained killer, but I'm still a 19 year old.

"Would you like to play?" Noctis asks, pulling on my hand. I laugh and follow him down hallways and up stairs. I memorize how many turns we make so that I'll be able to get back to the ballroom.

Once we reach his room I feel slightly out of breath.

"Sorry 'bout the mess." Noctis shoves a few clothes across the room into a pile. The look on his face almost makes me laugh, I have a feeling he never really cleans his room.

"Nah, it's fine. My room is a mess too." I laugh. I pull at my tie.

"Hey, I'm gonna change. If you want, you can borrow some of my clothes, though they might be a bit big on you." Noctis offers.

"What about your party?" I say. Noctis shrugs.

"Never really liked big crowds. Come on, let's go to my room." Noctis says.

"Yeah, thanks. This suit is very uncomfortable." I pull my tie all the way off and start unbuttoning my shirt. I turn so that my back is facing Noct. I hmph as a shirt and pants are thrown at my back.

"Thanks. I gotta say, I'm surprised that we didn't get stopped by like, your bodyguards." I say.

"Well, they know not to stop me." Noctis says, pulling a new shirt over his slim figure. I glance back at him; he isn't as slight as me, but he isn't bulky. I make sure that my gun is hidden inside my shirt.

Does that mean he brings men here often? Maybe seduction should have been my first choice after all

"That must come in handy." I say. He nods his head and turns to face me. I have the shirt almost on but with no pants, I blush. His hips must be a bit wider than mine, because I have to keep adjusting the clothes. His soft shirt keeps sliding down my shoulders. Noctis flops onto his big bed, patting the spot next to him. I grin and flop down, pulling out my phone. I could kill him now, possibly make it look like a suicide. I'll finish this job after a game, but then again if Noctis wins I'll have to play another game. There is no way I'm losing to him.

I load up the game and turn to see if Noctis is ready. I catch him staring at me and I blush so hard a tomato would be jealous

"Uh, I um, I like your hair." He says. I smile and run my fingers through it.

"Thanks, I like yours." I laugh. Noctis smiles and turns to his phone and starts up his game.

We play for hours without realizing it, teasing each other the whole time. It's probably the most fun I've had in ages. I tell him how my 'dad' would never be there and how I never really had friends because I was always different.

I could kill him at any point, just take my gun out and shoot and he'd be gone. It would be so easy. He probably wouldn't suspect a thing, but what if he did? What if he warped? Then I could never kill him. No, I have to wait longer, get closer to him. I can't risk this failing. I smile and laugh and act like his friend. Pretending like that usually takes more effort, but something about him makes it so easy. We play for so long that the next day a servant finds us both curled up on Noctis's bed, sound asleep.


	3. Three

When I wake up my head hurts a bit, and the bed is cold. I look over and gasp. I'm in a huge bed. I totally forgot that there was a party. It's not like I drank a lot. I wonder where Noctis went. I sit up and pull out my phone, I turn it on and gape at the time. It is already twelve. I never sleep in. Normally I'm up early to jog, or for the job. The job. I check my wrist and see that it's still covered. I look over and my pile of clothes is still on the floor where I left it. I sigh. I hop out of bed and quickly get dressed. Once my hand is on my gun I relax. I check in the mirror and fix my hair, which I am very proud of.

I walk out the door and look around. The hallway is big, and I know I came from the left. I decide to head back to the ballroom, and if I find Noctis that would be a plus. I made sure to leave my camera so that I would have a reason to come back. I start to walk down the stairs to deserted ballroom when I trip and fall, right into a tall man's arms. I look up and see a slender, bespectacled man. Somehow he manages to hold me up while pushing up his glasses.

"Sorry." I mumble.

"No problem. Are you alright sir?" He asks. I push myself off when I hear a laugh behind me. I turn and glance back. Noctis stands in black shorts, and a black t-shirt. His hair is sticking up in weird places, and his brow is shiny with sweat. Another man, if you could call him that, walks up behind him; he is drenched

"Ah, your highness. Good morning, how was your workout?" The glasses man asks.

"Uh, it was hell Iggy. He pushed me to the brink of death." Noctis whines. The man, Iggy, laughs, as does the huge man.

"Stop complaining Princess." The huge man says. Noctis rolls his eyes. My eyes widen at their casual banter. Maybe these were the men he took to his room. Maybe both at the same time.

"Hey guys, this is Prompto. I met him at the party last night. Prompto, the one with the glasses who caught you is Ignis. The huge dude is Gladio." Noctis introduces. I smile and wave at each.

"I'm sorry for falling into you." I say. Ignis pushes up his glasses once again. Honestly, he must do that just to look smarter.

"No problem, I'm glad your alright Mr. Prompto. How did you find the party?" Ignis asks. I look to Noctis to see what I should do. All he does is smile at me, that little traitor.

"Um, it was good. I really liked the food." I say. Ignis nods his head.

"I'm glad. I set up that party for his highness." Ignis says.

"Oh, it was amazing. The music was great and the decorations were perfect." I say. I smile widely. Gladio bursts out laughing.

"He is totally sucking up to you Iggy! I like him." Gladio says. I give him a tentative smile. He could totally snap me in half.

"Hey, we should all go out to eat. What do you say? Prompto, of course, would come with." Noctis suggests. I grin up at him.

"Dude! That would be awesome! Can we?" I turn and look up at Ignis.

"Noctis, are you trying to get out of your studies?" Ignis asks. Noctis feigns innocence. I giggle at the look on his face.

"Me? What no! Never. I just really want food out. And to spend time with my friends!" Noctis exclaims. I burst out in laughter. Noctis swats at my arm. Well, now I know he thinks of me as a friend. This is just too easy.

"I'm not so sure. We can't have anything happen to you." Ignis counters.

"Come on Iggy. We'll get to know Prompto. He seems too scrawny to be of any danger, and too, I don't know, bubbly. Although you can never be too sure." Gladio says. I swallow. It's good that I don't seem dangerous.

Iggy sighs. "Fine! Where would you like to eat?"

"That diner! The one with the really good fries." Noctis says. I frown, I'm gonna have to work out for longer. "Wait, do you not want to go?" Noctis asks.

I wave my hands "No! No, I do! I'm just worried about my work out." I mumble.

"Well, if you want you can work out with us. You can come over every once a week." Gladio suggest. I smile.

"That would be amazing. Thank you!" I say. I try to give him a hug, but he holds me back with one hand. I smile and pull away, instead giving Noctis a hug. He smile and takes it. I pull back before it goes too long.

"Well, let's get going. I am rather hungry." Ignis says. I nod and hop down the stairs.

"Um, maybe we should change? Prompto is dressed like he is going to a wedding, and Gladio and I are going to stink up the place." Noct says. I look down at my rumpled suit. We would look very out of place. I laugh at the thought of all of us.

"Hm, that is a good idea. I'm guessing Mr. Prompto will borrow some of your clothes Noct?" Ignis says. Noctis nods his head.

"I'll shower as fast as possible. Come on Prom." Noctis says dragging me away. I smile at the two men. After a while Noctis still doesn't release my hand; I smile down at them.

Once we get to his room he strips down and I turn away, fiddling with my shirt.

"Um, aren't you going to change? You can use some of my clothes." Noctis says. I turn back and stare at him. He is almost completely naked, except for his boxers. I blush as I look at his body. He isn't muscled like Gladio, but he is fit. I shake my head and quickly strip my outfit off. Noctis tosses a button down black shirt with black pants at me. I smile when I look down and see two buttons missing, and a stain on the side. It'll be big on me again, but I don't mind, and Noctis didn't seem to mind either. I pull on the pants and once Noctis goes to the bathroom. As I settle the shirt over my shoulders, I catch the smell of something faintly musky. I turn my head towards my arm, smelling it again. It's nice, like the woods and something I can't place.

I get my gun and tuck it into my pants so no one will see. I pull down my wristband. I hear the water start and I sit down on his bed. I hear a splash of water then a thump. I stand up and knock on the door.

"Hey! Noct, you ok?" I ask, worry seeping into my voice. He doesn't respond. My heartbeat speeds up. "Noctis! Noctis are you alright?" I ask. Again there's no answer. I try the door handle but it's locked. I push up against the door, it won't budge. I look around. He could be very hurt, but if I do this there will be questions. I could walk away, I could forget I heard that. I see Noctis's small smile and I shake my head. I pull out my gun and step back. I aim, and fire at the lock. I tuck my gun away, and run into the bathroom. I look around and see him slumped in the shower. I run over and fall to my knees. It looks like he hit his head when he fell. I feel around for his head. I pull my hand back and see red. I start to panic. He's breathing, but it seems shallow. Weird, I'm supposed to kill him, but I don't really want to, but he might anyway.

I call out for help, though I know guards are already on the way because of the gunshot. I know my gun is pretty quiet, but someone must've heard. Two men in uniform run into the room, guns drawn. Once they see Noctis they put them away and the bigger one picks him up. The other drags me up.

"I didn't do anything! He fell! Please, I didn't do anything." I plead. The man pulls my hands behind my back. They take us down the halls. I don't know where we are going, but hopefully to doctors. We walk into the a clean room with frantic looking people rushing around us. They grab Noctis and lay him on a bed. I watch in horror. He has to be ok. Ignis and Gladio run into the room. They look at me in shock, then rush over to Noct. Ignis is relatively calm and asking many questions, while Gladio looks ready for murder. He stomps over to me and grabs my-Noctis's shirt and holds me against the wall.

"What happened?!" He yells.

"I don't know! He was taking a shower and then he must have fallen! I swear I didn't do anything." I say.

"There was a gunshot. The guards said there was a gunshot, are you telling me they are lying?" Gladio asks. I shake my head.

"No! I had to shoot the lock to get inside the bathroom! I was worried!" I cry out as he slams me against the wall.

"Why do you have a gun?" Gladio asks. My head spins.

"I'm a hunter! I kill demons! I always carry my gun for protection. That's not against the law." I say. He loosens his hold on me. I slide down the wall. He nods his head, accepting the lie. I breath deeply, trying to stop my shaking. That was too close. I stand up and look at Noctis. If he dies, then my job is over. I will get the reward and life will go back to normal, where I don't feel anything and I have no friends. I want my life to go back to normal, but for some reason, I don't want Noctis to die. Not yet. Not when things could change, but what if they aren't for the better? What if He comes and takes Noctis? I can't let that happen. Befriend him, or kill him, those are my only options.


	4. Four

Gladio seems to decide that he didn't like my answers. He drags me through the hallway into a small room with a chair, table and one light bulb.

As if this old trick could scare me. I've been in rooms like these so many times, it's practically relaxing. The bulb is barely bright enough to make my eyes sting. The thing that does scare me is Gladio. I don't try to struggle against him, instead I give him my best puppy dog eyes. He doesn't seem to be falling for it. He pushes me down into a cold metal chair. I rub my hands together to try and warm them while Gladio takes a seat opposite me.

"So, tell me everything that happened." Gladio growls.

"I, well, I mean he had just given me something to wear and he was going to go shower. I pulled on his clothes when I heard a splash and a grunt. When I called out to him he didn't respond. I tried pushing the door down, but I wasn't strong enough, so I shot the lock and went in. That's when I found him on the floor, his head bleeding." I say. None of that is a lie, but I know I'm going to have to get creative soon.

Gladio nods his head. "Ok, why do you have a gun?" I swallow and recall my cover story. He better come through, because they will definitely try to look into my past.

"I'm a hunter. I kill monsters for money. Since I'm not physically strong I use firearms. I kind of freak out without it, it's like I'm not safe." I say. I'm not necessarily lying. I am a hunter and I do do it for money.

"Really? Well, there are no monsters here so why are you here?

"I was visiting. I missed this place, it was always like home to me. Before I lived here I didn't really have a home." I say. I look down and fidget with the hem of my shirt.

"I see. Where were you born then?" Gladio asks.

"I don't know, I was adopted." Again, not really lying.

"By who?"

"He never told me his name. I always called him Dad. He never corrected me. He was always out of town, but I'm not sure what he does or did." Now that is a huge lie. I don't think I can ever forget his name, or face. I shudder at the thought. I always hated calling him 'dad'. It never seemed right. He wasn't my father, and never would be. I look up and Gladio looks shocked, and possibly sad.

"How do you live on your own?" He pushes.

"Like I said, I'm a hunter. I get money for that. Normally when I'm hunting I camp or stay at a hotel, but when I'm here I go to my old house. My dad bought it for me so I don't have to worry about living." I explain.

"Do you have any other family?" I pause at the question. I must have a mother, and a father. Who are my parents? Did I have siblings? My 'adoptive dad' never told me about any of that. He only pushed me, pushed me to be better, to fight better. When I wasn't good enough, which was often, he would punish me. To say the least these rooms are too familiar.

"Doesn't everyone? I don't know of anyone else, if that's what you're asking. Dad never brought girls to the house, but he did bring friends over, most were male though. He never adopted anyone else either, it was always just him and I." I say. He did bring people over, but not to be friendly. Normally he would be trying to get information out of them, and if they didn't talk he would have me 'practice' on them. It has horrible, but it taught me how to cover my feelings.

"Don't be a smart ass. Now, why is your wrist always covered?" Gladio continues. My stomach drops. Normally no one notices. Thankfully the door swings open and Ignis sticks his head in.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Noctis is awake and he wants to see both of you." Ignis says. I jump up. He's ok! I smile and wait for Ignis to inform Gladio about how Noctis is doing, then I run out of the room. I rush down the corridors taking turns as fast as possible. I had already memorized how to get there. I push open the doors and look around for Noctis. I see him in the back laying down flat on the bed. I smile and dash over. His head is wrapped and he looks irked.

"Oh my gosh, Noct! Thank goodness you're ok! How are you feeling?" I ask. Of course I'm doing this just to get closer to him, not because I really care. He groans and rubs his face.

"I'm fine! You don't need to worry about me. How are you? Ignis told me Gladio dragged you away." Noctis says. Just then Gladio and Ignis walks in.

"Get away from him!" Gladio storms over, yanking me back. He grabs onto my collar so tight I can barely get a breath out. I start to cough and my vision goes blurry.

"Gladiolus!" Noctis calls out. Gladio lets go of me and looks at Noctis shocked. "He has done nothing wrong! I slipped and fell, ok! If he didn't rush in there or called for help I could have had something worse than this concussion. Now, apologize. He is my friend, which he is not obligated to be, but he chose to anyway and you will respect him." Noctis commands. My mouth drops open.

"Your Highness, I understand that you're attached to this young man, but you've only just met him. You can not be sure of his motives."

"Prompto's not like the others. You know he hasn't asked me one question about how big the royal estate is, or when I'm going to inherit it? I've never met anyone like him. And he saved me. If he wanted to hurt me, that was his chance, but he saved my life. He's my friend and I won't allow you to scare him away" Noctis says. I didn't know he had it in him. Maybe he is fit to be a ruler. Is that why they want him dead?

Gladio gives a small nod to Noctis, "Yes your Highness. Prompto, you have my sincerest apologies for any discomfort I have cause." For some reason I still feel like he doesn't fully trust me.

"Good. Now Ignis, is there any way you can get them to let me go so we can eat?" Noct practically whines.

"No. You will stay here until they say you may leave. We can take no chances, like I said before." Ignis says. I frown. I was looking forward to eating out.

"Ah! Come on Specs. Could you at least pick something up for me?" Noctis pleads. He gives Ignis his best puppy eyes, which look way cuter and sweeter than mine ever could. I don't know how anyone could resist that.

"Fine. What do you want?" Iggy concedes.

"Hmm, a hamburger with no lettuce or tomato or any vegetables for that matter. Also a chocolate milkshake and fries. How 'bout you Prom? What do you want?" Noct asks.

"Well, I um, a hamburger would be ok, I'm fine with veggies though." I say. Prom? He gave me a nickname? I mean, I give nicknames out, but does that mean he likes me?

"That's it? Do you want some fries or something?" Noct questions.

"Nah, I'm good, though could I have a diet soda, any would work." I decide. I don't want Ignis to have to spend too much money on me. I don't want him to think I'm only friends with Noct for the fortune and fame.

"That works. Gladio, is there anything you would like?" Ignis says.

Gladio shakes his head. "I'll come with you"

"Alright. Let's go before Noctis works himself into a fit." Ignis says, pulling Gladio away. Before he is out of earshot, I hear him tell a guard to keep an eye on me. Noctis must have heard because his frown deepens.

"It's okay. I'd be suspicious of me too." I settle into the chair next to Noctis. "So why did you slip and fall?" I ask.

"I was, um, I was distracted." Noctis stutters.

"Ohh! Got a girl on your mind? Come on, spill." I tease.

"Not really. I mean, I was thinking of a person, but not a female. Oh Gods this is sounding bad!" Noct whines. He covers his blushing face with his hands. I laugh and pull his hands down. Noctis blushes harder and looks down at our hands.

"It's fine, honestly. We all get distracted sometimes." I say.

"Thanks, by the way. You know, for helping me." Noctis says. I smile. Really, killing him is going to be tough, he is so easy to get along with!

"Of course. Anything for my new pal!"

After that we sit and talk about little things like our favorite colors, the people who we have had crushes on. I wasn't surprised when Noct accidentally talked about a boy. He got so red and started worrying, but I assured him it didn't matter to me. I told him about a guy I liked, but that was a lie. I've never had the chance to date anyone. The only people I know are either all dead now or killing other people.

Once Gladio and Ignis came back we all sat around Noctis and ate our food. It was strange how quiet it was, and thankfully Ignis broke the silence.

"Prompto, I decided to run a background check on you. I wanted you to know, since Prince Noctis thinks so highly of you, this is not because of what happened today. It is merely a precaution we must take." I swallowed. I really hope 'Dad' made sure all my background information was correct. If not, this will end very badly.

"It's fine. Thanks for telling me. So when are we going to start working out Gladio?" I ask. I really hope that offer still stands. I need to watch Noctis fight so I can find his weaknesses.

"Whenever you want. Once the docs give the all clear Princess can join us, though that might take awhile." Gladio says. Noctis rolls his eyes at the jab.

"Cool! Do you want to go and work for a little? I need to make sure that burger gets worked off." I look up at Gladio. Hopefully he won't try to kill me during practice.

"Sure. Iggy watch over Prince Charmless here. We'll be back soon." Gladio says. He looks rather annoyed, like he wants to punch something and I have a funny feeling that that something is me.

Noctis nods at me encouragingly. I smile and give him a thumbs up. Gladio and I walk out of the infirmary and through corridors until he reach a door that leads to the outside. I squint as he opens the door. I really, really hope he doesn't try to kill me.

 **A/N:** _Hiya! so this fic will be ten chapters long. It was first posted on Archives of Our Own. Please do not repost anywhere without my permission (which I will most likely alwyas give) and without credit. I really hope you enjoy reading this, sense I enjoy writing it. I have a fabulous beta reader, and if there are any mistakes they are mine. English is my first language, but it's still really fricken hard. I'm pretty sure I have the right ratings, if not please let me know. Thanks!!_ _ **Disclaimer:** I do not own anything. I came up with the plot though. But I'm broke, so I honestly don't won anything unless you count some really cheap food. _


	5. Five

No, no, no, no! Please stop! I look around the dark room, but I can't see anything. Then I hear his voice.

"You can't be surprised that you're here. You know what you've done. You know what comes next. Please take a seat." He says. I look around. Where is the chair? A dim light comes on and under a plastic recliner without armrests, one that you would find at a dentist, but this one is special. I walk over and slowly sit down, chains encircle my wrists and ankles.The chains dig into my arms until my skin tears open. Blood runs across my palms and I bite my lip. I can't yell out or it will get worse. This isn't even that bad compared to some of the things he's done. The door opens and he walks in. His clothes are the same as the last time I saw him.

"You've failed me Prompto. Do you know how disappointed I am? All the time and effort I spent making you, perfecting you, and this is how you repay me? You've gotten attached to a target. You think you've fallen for him, as if a weapon like you was capable of love. You have no emotions. You are nothing, you are no one, you are a machine and a killer and that's all you will ever be. Who could ever want something like you?" He says. I know he is right, he always is, as much as I hate him for it. No one could ever like me. How could they? There's no me to like.

"I'm the only one who will ever know you Prompto. I'm the only one who sees you. I love you. I made you." He pats my cheek. I flinch away and he pulls back, slapping me. "I created you, and you will obey me."

I hold my breath, the taste of blood on my tongue. This won't end well. A searing pain flashes through my body. When it stops, the chain around my wrists burns. That's why he used a different metal this time, so he could electrocute me. I know he won't kill me. He needs me to make him money.

"I guess you really need a good punishment." He says from behind me. I hear water lapping against something, and barely have time to close my eyes before it washes over me, soaking me to the bone. Oh shit. This is going to hurt. I hear a buzz, then the pain is back. This time I can't hold it in, and I scream.

I sit up and huff. It was a dream. I look around my plain room. Light streams in through the window. How is that he can haunt me in real life and dreams? I cover my head and cry.

After a few minutes I pull myself off my bed to shower. I can do this job. I won't get attached. Sure Noct is a cool dude, but he needs to die. I let the water clean away the sweat off my body. After the shower I check my phone. There are three messages. I unlock it and read the first one from Noctis. Apparently he wants to hang out. This cheers me up a bit; I'll get to see him again! Hopefully he is feeling better. The doctors wouldn't let him do anything too tiring for a whole week, which meant I had to stay home. The other two texts were from Gladio and Iggy asking where I was because Noctis was worrying. Though, Gladio's text is more of ordering me to call as soon as possible. I walk downstairs while the phone rings. As I grab a bowl Noctis answers.

"Dude! Why didn't you answer my text? Are you ok? Do I need to send Gladio over?" Noctis asks. I shake my head.

"I'm fine! I was asleep. So, what's up?" I reassure him.

"We should hang out! I want to show you something." Noct says.

"Have the doctors given you the all clear? Cause if not you're not going anywhere, I will not be responsible for your death." I joke. Though, I will probably be responsible for his death.

"I'm fine! Seriously, even Iggy said I could." he says.

"Ok cool, when do you want to hang out?" I ask. I pour myself some cereal, then I hear a knock on my door. "Hold on, someone is at my door." I open the door and there stands Noctis with Ignis and Gladio behind him.

"Now. Now would be good." Noct says into the phone. I roll my eyes and press end.

"How did you know I would say yes?" I ask.

"I didn't. I was gonna come to your house to make sure you were ok." He says and steps in. I move over and let them in.

"On that note, how did you know where I live? I don't think I told you." I say.

"Iggy. That background check really came in handy. Now, are you ready to go?" Noctis says. I shake my head.

"Not yet, I still gotta eat breakfast. You want some?"

"Nah, we already ate, but thanks." I smile, of course, how could I forget he's the future king. He can probably eat whatever he wants for breakfast.

"We can pick something up for you on the way if you would like?" Iggy says.

"Are you sure? I can pay." I suggest, pulling out my wallet. There isn't much in there but it should be enough.

"It's fine, the Prince can pay with his allowance." Ignis says. I smile and put my wallet back into my pocket. Noctis grabs my hand and runs to the door.

"Wow, whatever we are doing must be fun. Let me get my shoes on." I say. I slip on my shoes, but I'm not sure if I should try to hold his hand again. It seems I don't have to decide because Noctis grabs my hand and runs out the door. There is a very sleek, black car in the parking lot, which I'm guessing belongs to Noct. He pulls me into the back seats. Ignis and Gladio take the front seats with Iggy driving. We pull out of the parking lot and start heading in closer to the city center.

"So, what exactly are we doing?" I ask. Noctis smiles widely at me.

"I'm getting an apartment! My dad said I could, now that I'm 19 and my training has been going well. We have three to pick from and I wanted your help. So, the first one is a bit small, but it would work for me. It's 700 square feet and it has a kitchen, a bedroom, master bath and a nice living room. It cost the least out of the three." He says. Small. He thinks that is small, well I guess if you're used to living in a palace that would be small.

"Ok, let's check it out!" I say. Once we get there I have to crane my neck to see the top of the building. "What floor is it on?" I ask.

"The top. All of them are the penthouse." He says. Of course he would have a penthouse. I shake my head as we walk in. As we walk past people bow. This must be annoying. I glance at Noct and his face is tight. I feel bad for him, always having all this attention. I grab his hand and squeeze it. He looks over at me and I smile at him. He blushes slightly and looks down. Which is a bad idea since he almost runs into the elevator door. I laugh and he mumbles under his breath.

"Sorry about that. I'm use to it, but that must have sucked for you." Noct says.

"Me? I was worried about you." I laugh.

"Well, so that means I was worried about you and you were worried about me. We really need to stop worrying." Noctis jokes. Thankfully when the elevator opens no one is inside. We step in and Gladio takes up a bit of room. I stand close to Noctis, our arms brushing against each other. Once we get to the top I feel like I might explode.

"Here we are." Ignis says. He opens the door and I gape. It's very nice and looks way fancier than I could ever get. Then again this is Noctis.

"Wow. This is, um, this looks amazing." I say.

"Really? Let's check out the bedroom." Noct says. I nod my head. Once in the bedroom my jaw drops. It really is a gorgeous house.

"This is amazing! The bed could fit like all four of us." I laugh. Noctis looks at me and smiles, which makes me blush. No, stop it. I can't feel. I can't be anything but an assassin. A gun.

"Ok, well this is a very nice apartment. Want to see the others?" Noctis asks. I nod my head.

It takes a while to see all the apartments, but we do it. They are all amazing. Each has it's own unique qualities that would make it special. The biggest one had three bedrooms and four bathrooms. It was over what Noctis wanted to pay, but I wouldn't blame him for getting it. Once we looked at all of them we went out for food. After all, finding the perfect place to stay is tiring. Once we get the food Noctis turns to me.

"So, which one do you like the best?" I blink at him.

"Which one do I like? Shouldn't we be asking you that?" I ask.

"Well, you seem to have good taste. Which one do you think would work the best?" He says. I think for a moment. The first one is a nice size, the second is pretty nice, but the third is huge. Then my training kicks in. Which one would be the easiest to kill in? Which one has the best vantage points, escape routes, and is closest to one of my safehouses.

"The first one. It's not too big or too small." I say. He nods his head.

"Ok, I'll go with that one." He says.

"What?!" I ask. Was he already going to pick that one?

"Yeah. It's nice, I like it. Hey, since you helped pick it out, want to spend the night? We can get pizza and soda." Noctis says. I smile.

"That would be amazing dude! Thanks. But wait, can we already sleep there?" I ask.

"Yeah, once Iggy sorts it all out. Being the Prince does have its perks." Iggy works out all the paperwork and informs them of Noctis staying the night. They of course agree. We go into the apartment and I flop onto the couch.

"Prom, I got to run an arrend really quick, you can stay here if you want. It won't take long." Noctis says.

"Ok, well have fun." I say. I don't mind being by myself, some time to think might do me good. Once they leave I lay down and stare at the ceiling. It feels like I have known Noctis forever. Something about him just pulls me to him, and it's not just because he looks nice. I frown at myself. I can't think things like that. I have no heart. I have no heart. Why does it sound more and more like a lie every time I think it? I rub my eyes. This job is way harder than I ever thought it was going to be.

I feel a hand on my shoulder, shaking me slightly. I mumble and open my eyes.

"Good you're awake. I have a surprise for you." Noctis says. I rub my eyes and groan. The world outside is dark; how long have I been asleep?

"Really?" I ask. He nods his head, pulling me up.

"Yep, here open it." Noctis says, shoving a box into my hands. I smile at the wrapping, it's pretty crappy. I tear off the paper and open the box. I stare down at the gift.

"You left yours at the party, and I honestly have no idea where it went. Do you like it?" Noctis asks. I lift the camera out of the box. It's the latest model. I always did like taking pictures.

"Noct… This is, this is amazing! Thank you!" I say. I jump up and pull him into a hug, making sure the camera doesn't get damaged. I hear the door open, but right now I don't care, which is wrong. I should always be on guard, I shouldn't be doing this, but he makes me so happy.

"Boys?" Iggy says from behind me. I pull back and blush.

"Hey Specs." I say. Gladio isn't here, he's probably doing some crazy exercise routine.

"Noctis said he wanted me to cook." Iggy says.

"I thought we were going to have pizza, but that's ok too." I say. Noctis smiles and sits on the couch. I follow his lead and plop down next to him.

"So, want to see if the TV works?" Noctis asks. I smile and nod. It would be too hard to kill him now, with Iggy here. I'll do it tomorrow. Plus, who wouldn't want to eat Ignis's cooking?


	6. Six

"Hello Prompto. I'm guessing Noctis isn't up yet?" Ignis asks. I groan and rub my eyes. I slept on the couch, but now I feel a soft blanket on top of me. Noct must have placed it over me. I grin at that.

"How can he sleep so late? It's almost eleven already. You cooking breakfast. I mean lunch?" I ask. Ignis goes back into the kitchen and resumes cooking. Whatever it is smells heavenly.

"Of course, though the Prince might not eat it. It has rather a lot of vegetables in it." Ignis says. When Ignis turns around, I can't help but laugh. He's wearing a pink, frilly apron with the words 'Kiss the Cook' written in huge letters across the chest. The look on his face reminds me of a chocobo I rented one time, when I accidentally fed it cabbage instead of greens.

"Ah yes. Gladio bought me this last Christmas I believe. Very funny." Ignis says, but the way he says it, he doesn't sound amused at all.

"That's great. You guys are really close." I say. I can't help a little jealousy seeping into my words.

"Yes, well, we have known each our whole lives. If we didn't get along it could impair how we work together." Ignis pours the soup into three bowls and sets the pan in the sink. "Now, I know Noctis wanted it to be a surprise, but he is planning on bringing you to a party being thrown by a woman named Cindy. This isn't formal, so no need to dress up. On the contrary, you should wear tight clothes apparently. If you need, I'm sure Prince Noctis would be willing to go shopping." Ignis says.

"Really! Well, I have plenty of clothes for that. Do you want me to get Noct up?" I ask.

"If you can." Iggy nods. A smile spreads across my face as I go into Noctis's room. I roll my eyes when I see him curled up with blankets pulled up to his ears. I grin and jump onto the bed, the motion of the mattress rolling his body to rest against my knees. He doesn't wake up

Next, I try to push his shoulder to wake him up, which doesn't work. He does look very peaceful, but he needs to eat. If there wasn't food I might have curled up next to him and gone back to sleep.

I shake my head. I have to stop thinking like that. I brush his hair out of his face as he scrunches up his face, he really is adorable. I get as close to his ear as possible and say very loudly, "Wake up! Food! There's food!"

He grumbles, pushing me away. I'm closer to the edge of the bed than I thought, and topple over the edge with a grunt.

"Shit. Prompto are you ok?" Noctis peeks over the edge of the bed. I stand up and rub my butt.

"Yeah, I'm good. Well, you're up! Time to eat! Ignis made soup and it smells amazing." I say.

"Hmm, are there vegetables in it?" Noct asks.

"Of course not! Iggy said that it is a celebration soup since you just moved here." I lie. He really should eat better, not that he isn't a healthy weight.

"Hmm, 'k." He stretches his arms and yawns, his nose wrinkling when he rolls his head a little too close to his armpit. "Gross." He mumbles. "I'm going to have a shower. You coming too?" Noctis asks, still scrubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"I – I was going to. Alone! After you, I mean. After soup?" I stammer. Noctis stops, blinks, then goes red as a tomato.

"I, I didn't mean, I mean. I didn't mean that you, that we would, uh, together. I-"

"Yeah, yeah I know. I um, my mind went straight to the gutter didn't it?" I laugh. There is a long silence before Noct clears his throat.

"Right. Shower, then food." He says. I nod and turn to go. "Oh, Prompto. Thanks for not waking me up by splashing water on me. Gladio always does that! And sorry about pushing you off the bed." I nod and walk out with a blush on my cheeks.

"Are you alright? I heard a bit of a commotion." Ignis says, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Oh, we - no, it's fine. We're good." I say. Ignis squints at me. He can't know about the er, misunderstanding can he? He isn't a mind reader.

We eat after Noctis finishes his shower. He find the vegetables easily, I don't know how Ignis thought he was going to miss what looks like a whole box of mushrooms. Whilst he's busy tucking the offending food into his napkin, he tells me all about the party. It's near the middle of the city, and starts at 1900. I nod, telling him I'll take an hour to get ready. We both push our empty bowls away and look at the clock. We've got about 7 hours. He grins at me, and pulls out his phone, the loading screen for King's Knight already running. I pull out mine, pulling up the app. The next 6 hours pass like a blink.

When I get home, I shut the door behind me and lean against it, my eyes fluttering shut. I smiled so much today that my cheeks ache. I didn't think I was so out of practice.

It's strange. All my life I've been training my body, but I never even thought about my face.

I don't remember a time when I had a reason to smile, and now I can't stop. All I have to do is think about Noct, and it just happens, quicker and easier than pulling a trigger. It's happening right now. I can't stop myself.

Noctis. He wants tight clothes, I'll give him tight clothes. I dig through my closet to find that one pair of pants. They always looked good on me and they hugged my body very snugly. They have a faint leopard print on them too. I choose a darker shirt to go with them, which will show off my arms, but also keep me cool.

I pull them on, then stare at my hair in the mirror. It flops down helplessly. I groan and go to the bathroom, styling it with my strongest hair gel. I nod to myself. I look good.

I go into the living room and sigh. It'll be another 30 minutes before Noct comes to pick me up. I pull out my phone and start playing, but it doesn't feel right without Noct. I tuck my phone back into my pocket and stare at the wall, but something feels off. Something nagging in the back of my mind. I'm missing something, and I never forgot anything.

My gun! That's what I forgot. I groan and stand again. I tuck my gun into my belt and slip my gloves on. That feels better. I can't forgot why I'm here, what I want, no, need to do.

I sit back down and before I know it I'm fast asleep.

Noct rubs my shoulder until I wake up. I must have forgot to lock the door. I groan and open my eyes. Noct looks… hot. Very hot. His hair is styled, and his black clothes cling to his body.

"You look.. Nice." I say. He smiles and offers me a hand up. I grab his hand and he pulls me up.

"You ready?" He asks.

"One sec, let me check my hair." I say. I head to the bathroom and check up not only on my hair, but my gun, and gloves. Everything seems to be in good condition.

"Ok! Let's go." I say, walking out of the room.

We make it to the party in good time, which apparently means an hour late. The party is in full swing when we walk in.

The smell of beer and sweat hits me like a brick wall. I can see Noct scrunch his nose up at it too. I bet royal balls don't stink like this.

On a raised platform at the back of the room, the DJ yells something over the music that I can't make out. The crowd seem to love it though. I turn to Noct, about to make a joke, and catch him mid yawn. Of course he's already tired.

"How can you come to this?" I ask. He frowns at me, leaning forward until his chin is almost resting on my shoulder. I can feel his breath on my ear.

"What'd you say?"

"How are you allowed to come to something like this?" I yell. "You know, cause with so many people. You could get hurt."

"Most of the people here are Crownsguard. My family knows everyone else." He yells back.

Crownsguard? I look around the dance floor. The party goers look pretty built. They fit the profile for bodyguards to the royal family. Still, they're all drinking. If I had to, I could probably...

Noct grabs me by the hand and pulls me towards the floor and the thought slips out of my mind. I'm at a party. I should at least act like I'm enjoying myself. I dart past him, pulling him into the mass of people. I hope he doesn't mind my dancing. One of my first jobs was taking someone out at a party. I didn't know how to dance then, but this one girl showed me how to move to the rhythm, how to not step on anyone's toes, and how to dip them. It took me ages to get away from her once I spotted my target, but I managed to ditch her. I've always been glad about that. I never liked collateral damage.

The song switches and I look over at Noct. He is just standing there, staring at me.

"Noct?" I shout. He shakes himself out of whatever trance he's in and leans in close again, his chest pressed up against mine.

"You're a good dancer. The way you move, it's like the music's gonna carry you away.' I can't help the blush that spreads across my cheeks.

I reach down and grab his hands. If he likes my moves, he should try them himself. He pulls back like I electric shocked him, but he doesn't pull away. In the neon lights, his skin flushes dark.

The DJ makes another announcement that I don't listen to. Whatever he says makes crowd goes even wilder, more and more people shoving their way onto the floor, pushing Noct and I closer, until we're almost nose to nose. I sway my hips, trying to get him to do more than awkwardly shuffle from side to side, but he's too stiff.

Another man, tall and muscular, taps Noctis on the shoulder. "Like to dance?" He shouts. Noct looks at me and I nod. Why not? Maybe this dude can loosen him up. The guy tugs Noct away, a little further into the crowd. His mouth moves, but I'm not good enough at lip reading to get what he's saying.

Someone bumps into my back, some fruity cocktail spilling over my shoulder. The woman flaps her hands at the stain, like it'll help, before her friend pulls her away. Her big, Crownsguard looking friend.

I'm in a room full of Crownsguard. What if they know? What if that guy is telling Noct right now that I - that I might...

I can't fail.

A quick look around tells me no one is watching. I can see Noct's back. He's still not moving much. If I want it, I've got a target.

I pull out my gun. My heart pounds like a drum. It has to be a clean shot. I've only got one chance. If I do this, my life goes back to normal. I get paid. I'm safe. I need to do this.

I click off the safety. I hold my breath, taking aim from my hip. It's the best way. it'll be easier for me to hide when it's over.

Noct's still there, barely moving. I take another breath. My finger drifts towards the trigger. This is it. I'm doing this. I'm going to-

"Noct!" A voice booms over my head. I flip the safety back on and tuck my gun back into my belt in a smooth, barely noticeable motion.

Gladio scrubs his hand through my hair as he walks by me. He reaches Noct, clapping him on the shoulder. I shove my way over to them, trying to hear what they're saying.

"Didn't think you would come." Gladio is saying, giving the other man a meaningful look. The guy melts back into the crowd like he was never there.

"Yeah, well I thought Prompto might like it. He seems to love to dance." Noct says. Did he really come just for me?

"Hey Prompto." He gives me a distracted wave. I nod at him in greeting. "So Noct, how is the apartment?" Gladio asks. I turn away, trying to get my heartbeat under control.

I can't believe I couldn't do it. I told myself I was getting close to Noct so the job would be easier. When did pretending to be his friend turn into actually being his friend? When did this get so hard?

Someone pulls at my shoulder from behind me, whirling me around. A man with a dazed, drunk looking expression grabs me by the hips and starts moving, stepping on my toes and holding my waist too tight. I plant a big smile on my face and let him. Maybe if I dance for a while I can clear my head.

As one song changes to two, I spot Noct with Gladio, a sour expression on his face. Whatever the big guys saying to him isn't going down well. The next time I look, they're both gone. I shrug out of the guy's hold, going to look for them, when he grabs me by the wrist, jerks me back and mashes his mouth into mine. I can taste the whiskey on his tongue when he shoves it into my mouth.

I yank my arm out of his hold and shove him away. He frowns at me, then shrugs and wanders into the crowd, probably looking for someone else try his luck with.

I look around again. Still no sign of Noctis. If Gladio was still in here I'd see him, he's tall enough to tower over everyone, but Noctis I have to look for.

Surely they wouldn't have left without me. Noct said he only came because he thought I'd like it.

I look around the bar, the booths and the restrooms, but I can't find any trace of him. The longer I look, the more worried I get.

What if something happened to him? What if he wasn't okay?

I take a deep breath, calming myself down. There's nothing to panic about. If he's not anywhere in the club, he's got to be somewhere outside.

I slip out the door and see Noctis sitting on the ground against the wall. I slide down next to him.

"You ok?" I ask. He frowns, but he doesn't look at me.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" He asks.

"You seem upset."

"That's just my face." He says.

"Hey, I know what your face looks like. That's not even your 'I'm really tired' face. You just look sad."

"Can you drop it?" He snaps. I shrug, leaning back against the cold wall. We sit in silence for a bit. I wonder what he's thinking.

"Wanna ditch this place and get something to eat? No veggies involved, promise." I say with a smile. He looks up, but still doesn't meet my eyes. "Come on, I know a good place near here and I'm starving." I whine. He smiles at that. Jackpot.

"Sure," He says. I stand, pulling him up after me.

We walk the short distance to Garula Burger, nudging each other's shoulders as we walk. We get a booth by the window and order a couple of sodas.

"Did you at least have a little fun at the party?" I ask.

"Yeah. Watching you dance was fun." Noctis says. I blush again. We stay quiet until our drinks get here. I sip on my soda and stare out the window. It's a nice night out, not too hot and partly cloud, with wind. I turn back and smile.

"So, are you excited about being able to live on your own?" I ask. He nods.

"Yeah. I…" I don't hear whatever he says next. All I can hear is my heart pounding in my ears, because it's him. He's here, now, he can see me, he's looking right at me.

His gaze drifts from one side of the booth to the other. I follow his eyes. Noctis. He knows I'm here with Noctis. There's no way he doesn't know about the job. I could never keep anything a secret from him. When I look back, he's watching me again, and... and he's smiling. My breath catches in my throat. I've never seen him smile like that before. I never knew a man's face could - could look that -

"Prompto?" Noctis touches my arm and I jump a mile. When did he move to stand beside me? I look out the window at the empty street. He's gone. But he'll never be gone, not to me.

"Hey, it's ok. It's me, it's Noct." He says. My vision blurs and tears start streaming down my face. All those horrible days. All those horrible cages. The chair. The torture. I let myself cry. I couldn't stop this even if I tried. Noct slides in next to me, putting an arm around my shoulder. He rubs small circles onto my bare skin. I turn and bury my face into his chest sobbing. He's here. He must be coming after me again. He knows what I've done. He knows what I haven't been able to do

"I...I'm so sorry." I sob. Noctis pets my hair.

"Shhh. It's ok Prompto. There's no reason to be sorry." He says. But there is, I put him in danger. I'm an assassin. I was sent to kill him, I almost did it less than half an hour ago. He was just meant to be a target, no different from any of the other, but he's not like anyone I've ever met before. I care about him. He's my friend and now He knows how I feel, somehow. He'll hurt me, and he'll kill Noctis. Because I couldn't. Because I am weak. I shake in Noctis arms, apologies and tears spilling out of me, but not the truth. I can't tell him. He would never forgive me. He would hate me, how could he not? If he knew what I was, what I've done, I'd lose him.

After a while I calm down. Noctis is still holding me, telling I'll be alright. I don't know how I'll ever be alright again. I can't do it. I can't kill him, I can't complete this job. He knows. I'm a dead man.

"Noct, do you think - could we go back to yours for a bit?" I whisper, pulling himself out of his arms.

"Yeah, we can do that." Noctis says gently, scooting out of the booth. I follow, my body feeling like lead. He shoves a few bills on the table for the soda and takes me by the wrist, leading me out into the street.

Every instinct is telling me to take cover, that he's still out there, watching me, that we're in danger. I focus on putting one foot in front of the other, letting Noct tug me along.

"Hey Prom, look." We come to a stop on a quiet street. Sitting on top of a post box is a tabby cat, blinking at us in the dark. "Cute right?"

I guess he's trying to make me feel better. I shrug, trying to smile, even though it hurts. Noct pulls me closer, then pushes my hand towards the cats face. When it stretches out to meet me, rubbing its nose along the edges of my fingers, I can't help but feel a bit lighter. Noct pets the cat's back, and it preens under his affections. I look up at his face full of joy at this one little thing, purring away under his hand, and I'm able to smile.

"You must be a cat person." I say. The cat purrs as Noct strokes it. He looks up to say something, but I spot something beyond him that makes my blood run cold.

There's a car at the other end of the street, jet back, accelerating in our direction. It doesn't make sense. There's no one around to race, there's no reason to be going so fast. Not unless- My mouth goes dry.

I don't have time to think. I grab Noct by the arm and pull him to one side, ducking low and tugging him behind me as the car swerves off the road and hits the post box. It smashes against the building opposite, right where we would have been standing. We crouch in a doorway, slightly set in from the sidewalk. It's not much cover but I'll take it.

Noct opens him mouth and I shush him, pushing him further behind me, away from the road. The car doors wrench open, squealing against the crumpled bodywork. Two men get out, thick set and sour faced.

"You see where they went?"

"Nah. Can't have gone far though. There's nowhere for 'em to go." They signal to each other and split off, one heading down the road away from us, the other coming our way.

I can probably take them out. The first guy won't be a challenge, but if the other one has a gun and gets a shot off, I could be in serious trouble. The man stalks closer to our hiding place and my hand drifts to my gun, ready to take him out.

As soon as he comes into view, Noctis disappears in a shower of sparks and the man is on the floor, an enormous sword pushed clean through his chest. Noctis pulls it out of him and swings it like it's nothing.

No wonder people want him dead. I knew he had some magic, something to do with the Crystal, but I didn't know it meant he could do this.

Noct ducks as the other assassin fires at him. I grip my gun, creeping out from the doorway and trying to find a good angle. The assassin is mostly blocked by the car. Unless Noct draws him out, I won't be able to hit him.

Noctis warps again, onto the side of a building. He looks like he's balancing on some sort of lance this time. The assassin stands to take his shot and I take aim, but Noct warps again and the assassin ducks out of my line of sight. Noctis comes at him again, throwing daggers at him and running. He gets in one hit, but the assassin wrenches the dagger out of his arm and aims again.

I see it in slow motion. The assassin ready to fire. Noctis without a weapon, defenseless in the middle of the street. I line up my shot and punch a hole through his head with the bullet that, if I hadn't been interrupted earlier, would have ended up through Noctis heart.

The man drops like a rock, dead before he hit the ground. Noctis stares at him blankly for a moment, then at me. I lower the gun, finger off the trigger. He walks towards me, eyes never leaving my face. I can't read his expression. He stops short of arms length away from me, looking me up and down with wide eyes.

"Join the Crownsguard." He blurts.

"What?"

"I mean, are you okay? I can't believe that just happened. I told Gladio there was no way anything was going to happen tonight. He's never going to take a day off again." I gape at him.

"Go back to the thing you said before?" I say weakly.

"Do you want to join the Crownsguard?" He asks.

I almost ask him to say it again. I don't get it. Noct's watched Gladio beat me into the ground the few times we've trained together. Even when I was actually trying I couldn't get a single hit on him. Can't he tell how fragile I am?

I mean, I can handle some things, like a couple of guys in a car, but being a bodyguard? A royal one? I can't do that. I - I'm a killer. A weapon. I've never saved anyone in my life. Can a gun be used to protect someone?

Is that what I just did?

"Why?" I ask finally.

"Cause I trust you. You don't treat me like some royal brat and you're my friend. I want you by my side." He says. "You know, that's the second time you've saved my life. That's two I owe you now."

The Crownguard. It'd be a different life, that's for sure. If I do something wrong there, they won't cut me slowly open and then sew me back together just to rip the stitches out again and again. I could save people instead of killing them. I'd be saving Noct.

Maybe I could finally get away from Him. Maybe Noct can save me too.

I give him a small smile.

"I'd like that." I say. "I'll do it. When do I try out?"


	7. Chapter 7

Hey sorry for the huge delay, I always seem to forget I posted this one here as well. Here is my AO3 account which updates much faster: /users/Jamiejamesd

I've been in the market for about half an hour when I see it. The absolute perfect thing. I pick it up, turning it over in my hands and wincing. After a week of training with the Crownsguard, my arms feel like lead.

I don't know if I'll be able to carry this home. The thing is, I can totally imagine Noct laughing at it. It doesn't matter how much I ache, I want to see him smile.

I pushed the button, listening to plastic fish's warped warbling voice tell me not to worry, and I can't help but smile. When I look around for the seller, my heart catches in my throat.

Him. He's here.

In the time it takes me to blink, he's gone, like he was never there. I try and stay calm, keeping my breathing even. It's been a month since the last time I saw him. That could have been anyone. It probably wasn't him at all.

I look around again. The shopkeeper has vanished somewhere.

There's a whisper of fabric behind me, and the gentlest touch on the back of my neck. When I look back, there's no one there, but my hand is in my pocket, dialling Noct's number before I can even think about it.

"Hey Prom, what's up?" He asks.

"Hey, where are you?" I ask urgently. I duck between stalls, making sure I'm not visible. I hide in a closed off alley away from the shops.

"I'm supposed to be training with Glad… oh crap, here he comes. I'll call you back." Noct says.

"No! Please wait!" I say, but the line is already dead. I look around and I don't see Him. Maybe he left. I slowly let out a sigh. I turn around to go back and yell. He is right there.

"Ah, my _dear_ Prompto. What have you been up to? Am I to assume that that was our young Prince on the phone?" He asks.

I can't breathe, I can't think. My mouth opens and slowly I respond. "Yes sir."

"Now, now Prompto, I told you to call me by my name." He says. He waves his finger at me.

"Yes, Ardyn." I say.

"Good boy. Now, why haven't you killed the Prince?" he asks.

"There hasn't been the right opportunity yet. With his guards, if I took a shot I'd get caught." I explain, trying to keep my voice as monotone as possible. I can't feel emotions. Not with him around.

"That's a lie and we both know it. After all, you were the one who helped him choose the apartment with all those useful vantage points around it. I can't believe with all that sniper training I put you through, that you've simply not had the chance to use one. Try again." He says.

"I don't know Ardyn, sir." I say. I don't have time to blink before he slaps me across my face. _Don't move. Don't react._ I tell myself.

"You are coming with me. You need some more _training_." Ardyn says. My heart beats out of my chest as beads of sweat roll down my neck. I force myself to stay perfectly still. This can't be happening. Not again. I won't let it happen!

"No."

"No? Really, I didn't even know you could say that word." Ardyn says.

"I'm not going with you. I'm done!" I shout. Either this is going to go really well, or really badly.

Ardyn's face twists with rage and I close my eyes, muscles tense. I don't know what I'm expecting, but nothing happens. I open one eye, then the other. The alley is empty again. He's gone. Did he really leave? I look around, but he isn't there.

I lean against the wall, taking calming breaths, my head spinning. I hear feet running my way and I look up to see Noctis. He skids to a stop in front of me, eyes wide.

"Hey Prom. You okay?" He asks. I nod, my heart still pounding. I summon up a wobbly smile, pushing myself off the wall.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

"You sure? You sounded weird on the phone, like you were scared."

"You came because of that? Dude, I didn't know you cared." I lean forward to slap him on the arm, but he catches me by the wrist and tugs me toward him. We end up almost nose to nose.

"What are you doing?" I ask. He smirks and leans in even closer. If moved an inch, our lips would touch. My heart is pounding in my chest, it feels like it's going to come right out. I can feel his breath against my mouth. I close my eyes.

"Really? You thought I would like someone like you? A machine!" Noctis sneers. I open my eyes as he pulls away; my heart stops.

"What?" I choke out.

"I know. I know everything about you. I know what you've done, I know you liked it. You're a murderer, and a coward. You pretended to be my friend so you could try to kill me. You are nothing compared to me."

"Noct, please, it's not like that." He knows. How did he find out, what did I do wrong?

"And then you've got the gall to act like you care about me. Even worse, you think I could care for you back!" He kicks my knees from under me, sending me sprawling to the floor. "As if I could love a piece of filth like you. I'm a Prince. You are nothing. You're worse than nothing."

I shake my head. This can't be happening.

"Noctis…" I reach for his hand.

"Don't touch me, you disgusting creature." He slaps my hand away. "Give me your gun. I know you always have one. I need to know you're not going to shoot me as soon as I turn my back."

I nod, pushing myself off of the floor. I pull out my gun, placing it in his hands. Tears slowly slip down my face, my throat constricting making it hard to breathe. "Please Noct. I would never hurt you." I swear

"Well, isn't that interesting. I see you've changed your tune. " He says, but this time it isn't Noct's voice. It's Ardyn's. My head snaps up and I look around. Noct isn't here. It was one of his tricks. Of course it was. And now I'm defenseless.

"No, I didn't mean that! Please, I promise I'll kill him. Just give me a few days!" I beg. He smiles and places his hands on my shoulders.

"None of that now. I'm afraid you've shown your hand, and I'm not impressed. I had thought I'd raised you better than this. I think you and I need to have a little discussion Prompto. Follow me." Ardyn says. He leaves, and I can't do anything but follow. I gave him my only form of defense. I can't fight him. I can't outrun him, I never could.

I follow behind him until we get to his car. I sit in the front beside him and he drives.

* * *

Once we get to his 'house' it feels like I am going to die of nerves. He grabs my arm so tightly it feels like it'll break, and drags me down to the basement. He takes my phone and demands I strip. I take off all my clothes and place them all in his hands. I want to cover myself, but I'm not sure what Ardyn would do to me if I did.

Inside is completely dark, but I know my way around. How could I ever forget? I look back at Ardyn, already back at the top of the stairs. He stands in the doorway, blocking the light.

"Have fun." He says, and closes the door. There's no light, barely any sound and my ears start to ring. This will be the easiest part to get through. All I have to do is sit here. Not hard.

I crawl to the wall and lay down, my back pressed against the cold bricks. The easiest way to get through this is to sleep. If I can rest, I'll save my energy for what comes next. I let my eyes close, and slowly I relax. Sleeping can be dangerous if Ardyn decides the torture will come early, but it's the best course of action.

When I wake I don't know how long it's been. I get up and stretch. I used to be terrified of the dark, but now it's like an old friend that you just slide back into once you're together again. Once my muscles are relaxed I lay down again, this time on my stomach, and close my eyes. I should try to escape, but that could end badly. Maybe if I do try Ardyn will kill me, then I won't have to go through whatever he is planning. Sleep comes slower this time, but after an hour or two I'm dead to the world.

The next time I wake up my stomach growls, most likely from lack of water, not food. I get up and stretch again. My joints pop, and I sigh. It shouldn't be too long now. I pull my arms above my head and stretch my back. I jog in place for a few seconds. I have no place to pee, so I go to the farthest corner and go there, but even then the smell is strong. I lay down once again, this time on my back with my arms under my head. The floor hurts my back, but it's something I'm used to by now. I fall asleep so slowly that I have time to think.

Was Noct worried about me? Did he think I ran away? What was he doing right now? Was he looking for me? I shake my head. I can't think these thoughts. Hope can be good, but it can also be dangerous. Once my mind finally settles I fall asleep.

* * *

I wake up, and I'm strapped down. How long was I asleep? My legs feel tired, as do my arms. My stomach hurts from lack of food or water. The straps are tight against my skin. I attempt to move, but I'm too tired and weak.

Suddenly a bright light comes on and I have to squint. I can't see anything at all. I'm blinded again, but this time by light.

"Good evening Prompto" Ardyn says. I won't be able to see what he is about to do, which can be worse than being able to tell what's coming.

I hear sizzling before I feel the pain of heat burning my shoulder. The pain is increasing in waves, small lulls giving false hope of an end. All I can do is whither the occasional whimper escaping to echo off the walls. He holds it there just long enough to where I am almost used to it. "Who are you?" He asks. _I am Prompto_ , I think.

"No one. Nothing."I say instead.

"Good boy. Since you got that right I will cool you down a bit." Ardyn says. He presses something cold into my shoulder. It stings and I yell out in pain. He holds it there for a few minutes before pulling away, my skin soaking wet. I steady my breathing and prepare myself for what's next. But nothing comes. I can't see, and Ardyn can move so quietly when he wants to.

"Do you believe you care for someone? A certain Prince perhaps?" He asks right by my ear. I almost jump out of my skin. _I like Noct, a lot really. I like spending time with him and meeting the people he cares for._

"No one. I can't like anyone." I say. I can almost feel Ardyn smile.

"That's right. You can't love, you can't feel. You kill people, it's all you're good for! If you started feeling it would destroy you. You would become weak and no one would want you." He says. He's wrong, right? He has to be. "But I care for you already! Just do as you're told and I will always be there for you." I wish I could argue, but he is kind of right. He does care for me. I'm only alive because he took me in. He only wants to make sure I don't fall apart, that I don't hurt myself like before.

Suddenly I feel a sharp pain run up my arm. It feels like a dull knife, only just sharp enough to tear through my skin. I scream. He cuts all the way from my shoulder to my wrist. The blood drips down my arm, warm and wet. If I struggle it will only get worse. If I don't believe him I could die.

He moves to the other side and cuts that arm as well, the coppery smell of blood filling my nose. My stomach churns and I have to stop myself from throwing up. I hear a pop as Ardyn uses a potion on me. My arms slowly seal themselves. Ardyn repeats this ten more times, each time cutting deeper and deeper until I think I might pass out.

"Who do you obey? Who will always be there for you and love you? You do you trust?" Ardyn asks each time.

"You." I choke out. "Always you." And I somehow believe what I'm saying. He took me in, trained me. He made me stronger. He fed me and gave me a home when I thought I didn't belong anywhere. He gave me a gun and a chance to live my own life. If I was good I got rewarded, sometimes with a new weapon, or sometimes a better place to stay. He gave me my life when I thought I was done, when I had given up. Who was I to judge him? Who was I to think of him any less than a saint? He could have left me in the dirt where I belong.

"Good. You may rest for now. We will do this all again for the next three days to make sure it all sinks in." Ardyn says patting my cheek. And we do. Everyday he changes the different punishments, then puts me back in the dark. I wish I could stop waking up. Damn it, I knew this was stupid from the beginning. How did I think I was ever going to get away with this? I shouldn't have made him angry. If I'd just done my job, if I'd just done what he said, everything would be fine. Why did I try and disobey him? I shouldn't have done any of this. This is all my fault. Of course he's punishing me. I deserve it. I should have killed Noctis when I had the chance.

I wake up again, but this time there is something soft under me. I look around and see that I'm in my own house. The last of the afternoon sun shines through my bedroom window. Was that all a dream? I get in and stumble to the bathroom. When I get there I see multiple bruises and cuts all over my skin. So it was real. I take a quick shower. The water stings my cuts, but cleans off my dirty skin, washing away any dirt that could infect the wounds. When I get out I notice a few things misplaced. A photo that I am certain was on my dresser is now gone. Some of my clean clothes are thrown across the floor with the dirty ones. A picture on the wall is slightly tilted. I go to the table beside my bed and grab my phone. I have 30 messages, most from Noct. Many of the first few were apologies for hanging up on me. Then they got more and more worried the longer I didn't respond. I don't even have it in me to smile. I should invite him over then finish this. Then I could grieve and move on to the next job. I won't ever get attached to someone again. Ardyn is the only one that matters. I need to impress him. But Noctis, he's - I can't explain it. He's my friend, and he's the person I call when I see something cool, and the person who showed me magic is real. He's the first person to text me in the morning. I don't want to kill him. I want to be with him.

I dial his number, and he picks up before the second ring.

"Prompto? Is that you?" Noct sounds like he's just warped.

"Yeah, sorry for not getting back to you I've been… busy." I say.

"Are you ok? You sound a bit off." Noct asks.

"Fine. I've had a tough week." I explain.

"I'm coming over, Iggy and Gladio too. We were all so worried about you." Noct says. There is some rustling on the other end, which I assume is Noct getting ready.

"You don't have to do that. I'm fine. Plus I'd rather not have too many people over." I say. The rustling stops.

"Well then I'll just come by myself. I need to see you Prom." Noct says quietly. A little part of me melts, but I mentally slap myself.

"Okay." I say, hanging up before he can respond. I get up and see my gun on the table. If he really is coming here alone I could shoot him, but if he tells anyone where he is going then they will suspect me. Not ideal. I put my gun under my pillow, then go and sit on the couch to wait for Noct.

He arrives in record time. Once I open the door he pulls me into a tight hug. It hurts my broken rib, but I don't flinch away. Once he pulls back his eyes widen, staring at my face.

"What?" I ask. He slowly raises a hand and touch my face; it stings and I wince, pulling away.

"What happened?" He asks.

I shake my head.

"Nothing. I was just in a fight. You should see the other guy." I want it to be a joke, but my voice stays monotone.

"Yeah? I wish you'd called me, maybe I could have evened the odds."

"Bad signal. I didn't get your messages until this morning."

Noct frowns, staring at my face like he's trying to find the answer to a question he hasn't asked yet.

"What's really wrong? You're acting like a robot."

I flinch. He doesn't know how much that hurts. How true it is. I sigh, letting some of the tension out of my shoulders.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. I've been traveling, and I'm tired." I say. I want him to leave. He should leave, but a part of me still wants him to stay and that's dangerous. I've always thought I was good at hiding my feelings, but he seems to read my indecision on my face.

"I don't want to bug you if you're exhausted. If it's okay, I could crash on your couch, and we can talk in the morning?"

"Yeah, that works," I say, finally backing away from the door to let him in. I walk to the closet and get a few blankets out and lay them on the couch. Noct watches me, and I do my best not to show how much I ache. I don't know what he sees when he looks at me, but I know I look pathetic.

"I'm gonna go to bed. Will you be ok?" I ask.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Thanks Prom." Noct says. He sits down on the couch and fiddles with the blanket. I can tell he wants to say something, but I walk away before he gets the chance. I lock my door behind me and fall into bed.

I can feel the outline of my gun, where I left it under the pillow. I pull it out, the grip melding to my palm like I was made from it. Noct's staying until morning. We're alone. If I wanted to, I could end him right now.

If I do it, Ardyn leaves me alone. After a mark this big, he might leave me alone for good. He just wants me to succeed.

But success means Noct dies.

I don't fall asleep for a few long hours.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Sorry for the delay. I have major medical problems and one of them does not have a cure yet. Anyway, I wrote this, then rewrote it. But I also went to visit family. So its been hard. Thankfully my wonderful beta reader has ever lasting patients and got this chapter to how it is now. Please enjoy, and tell me what you thought!**_

I don't know what wakes me up first, the sound of rain on the window, or the muffled voice I can hear through the wall. I'm awake in an instant, my heart pounding.

My gun is where I left it, under my pillow. I grab it, finger a twitch away from the trigger as I sneak out of the room. Lucky for me, you don't last this long as an assassin without being able to move like a ghost. I peer around the corner and catch a glimpse of Noctis muttering into his phone. Of course, he's calling someone. I let out a sigh, the tension draining from my body. There's no danger here. I tuck the gun into my back belt, and put on a small smile as I round the corner. Noctis jumps slightly at the sight of me.

"Hey, I didn't hear you. No Iggy, not you. I'll call you back." He says, and quickly tucks his phone away.

"Sorry. Hungry?" I ask. He nods his head. I head to the fridge on silent feet. "Do you like eggs?" I ask, checking the date on the box.

"Yeah, scrambled." He yawns. I get a bowl out and get cracking. As they cook, I look over at Noct. His face is tight in thought, and one hand twisting the strands of hair that hang near his face. I should ask him what's wrong. I should be able to talk like a normal human being, but I'm not am I? Instead, I turn away and focus on the food.

When the eggs are almost done, I set up two plates, and two cups of orange juice. As I dish up, Noct walks over and sits down.

"This looks great Prompto." Noct says staring at the food. I take my seat opposite to him and pick up my fork, pushing my food around, and taking small bites.

"Thanks." I mumble.

"So, where were you traveling?" He asks.

"Not now Noctis." I say, shaking me head. I rub my head, and wince when I feel a cut.

"Prompto." Noct says with a sigh. I look up. His hand slowly comes to brush against a bruise on my cheek. I could feel heat rising, but I couldn't look away.

"Why do you care?" I ask. My heart hammers in my chest.

"We're friends. That's what friends do, right?" Noctis says, still not taking his hand off me.

"Yeah, I guess so." I can't help but grin widely at him, but something just doesn't seem quite right. He is my friend, but there is something else. "Sorry for being so distant. To tell you the truth I was out on a hunt, and it went wrong pretty fast. I didn't even get the bounty." I sigh shaking my head.

"That sucks, you should take me next time, make it an even fight!" Noct laughs. His hand slips from my cheek, but he brushes against my fingers slightly. I smile and take his hand, feeling the warmth spread through my fingers.

"Oh really?" I laugh. Noctis rolls his eyes.

"Oh, so the Crownsguard were worried about you. There have been a few kidnappings and murders amongst the new recruits and even some of the older members. It's been pretty stressful not knowing if you were ok." He says. I can feel his thumb slowly start rubbing against my hand, and I smile.

"Sorry about that. I really needed the money." I say.

"Really dude!" Noctis says. "Also, seriously, take me with you."

"Can you do that? You being all princey." I ask. Noct frowns.

"No, I can't, now more than ever. I'm not sure if you've heard the news but Niflheim has been invading more and more territories." Noctis says.

"Is the King worried?" I ask.

"I don't know. He hasn't told me how he feels, he only gives me the facts. I'm worried though. It's obvious what they want, though I don't see how they can get in here. All I know for sure is that Dad's working on a plan. I wish he'd talk to me, maybe I could help somehow. I wish he'd talk to me about anything, even work."

"Sounds lonely." I say. I know how lonely someone can get.

"Yeah, it is. Apart from you, Ignis and Gladio, it's not like I have anyone to talk to. I guess I sort of have a pen pal." Noctis says with a shrug.

"Yeah, what are they like?" I ask.

"She's really sweet. I knew her when I was a kid, and she's always been like a sister to me. If I could leave the city, she's the first person I'd go visit," Noctis said. "After that, I want to see what kind of team we made, if we were both hunters."

"Well, if you can, we'd make a pair of kick ass hunters! If any of our video game scores are anything to go by!" I say.

"I really don't care what we do, as long as we do it together." Noct says. His eyes go wide, and his mouth snaps shut. I can see his cheeks turn pink and he turns his head slightly away.

"Yeah. We should spend more time together." I say, squeezing his hand. He smiles at me, his face still pink. It would be dangerous, but I wasn't lying, I really do want more time with him.

"We should just do it! My dad is busy with political stuff, Iggy is doing who knows what, and Gladio is probably working out. Let's just spend today together. You and me." Noct says, his eyes radiant.

"Let's do it!" I say. I quickly get up and clear the table. When I slip my shoes on Noctis laughs.

"What?" I ask.

"Dude, your clothes." He says. I look down and groan. I'm still in my night clothes. I quickly change, then I rush out, but not before checking my hair.

"Ok, now let's go!" I say. Noct smiles, and grabs my hand again, pulling me out the door.

* * *

We spend most of the time walking around, window shopping. Noctis never let's go of my hand, and I don't want him to. I drag him into a camera shop, where I drool over the lenses, and he acts like he knows about them. Then we both run into a sweet shop where we come out with our bellies full, and a hug from the owner. We decide to spend a few hours at the arcade, but soon it's getting dusky.

"I want to show you somewhere." Noctis says. I nod my head, and let myself be led along. Is this what my life would be like if I was normal? If I was in the Crownsguard, and we could be together everyday. We could play games together whenever we like. Buy sweets from the nice old women, and I could save up to get that expensive camera. It would be wonderful. I bump Noct's side on accident and he bumps me back. I laugh and we keep walking. I could get used to this. This feeling, it's so hard to describe, yet so amazing. It's like when you look at the stars and you see how beautiful, and wonderful they are, and you just want to reach out and touch them. When you do, it's everything you thought about, it's warmth, and my heart beating faster than when I took my first shot, it's feeling so at home when I've never had one. I smile, and stare at our intertwined hands. I want this. I want this to be forever.

"We're here." Noct says. I look up, and my breath catches. I can see the whole city, and then some. The trees in the back are different shades or red, green, and orange. The cathedral is huge, but so beautiful. I can see the blue sparkling water reflecting the partly cloudy sky. It looks so at peace. I can even see the barrier. I turn to Noctis, to see if he feels the same way about the view, but he isn't looking at it. He's looking at me.

"Do you like it?" He asks. All I can do is nod. He smiles, and places his hand on my chin. "I'm glad." He mumbles. My heart pounds. I lean in and see does the same. Slowly I close my eyes.

My eyes fly open, and I jump back, reaching for my gun when his phone rings.

"Shit, shit!" Noctis says. Taking it out. "Yes what? This better be important." Noctis says sharply. He sighs, and rubs his head. "Yeah, fine. Be there in a bit." Noct says before sliding his phone back into his pocket.

"Is everything ok?" I ask.

"I'm not sure, Dad wants to see me for some reason." Noct says.

"Oh ok, well you can't disobey the king!" I laugh awkwardly.

"Yeah. Hey, come with me, and then afterwards we can go get some dinner." Noct says. I nod. Maybe today hasn't been ruined. I smile and walk beside Noctis, sliding my fingers between his.

* * *

Noctis slowly walks through the door, his skin ghostly pale. He closes the door and stops dead in his tracks, His face is slack, his mouth is slightly open, and his eyes wide. He just stands there, not moving. I slowly walk up to him and look at his eyes, which are hazy.

"Noct?" I ask. He doesn't respond. "Noctis!" I say, clapping in front of his face. His eyes snap up to mine, and his mouth closes. "What's wrong? What happened? Is the King ok?" I ask, putting my hand on his shoulder.

"I had no idea." He mumbled.

"No idea of what?" I ask. Did he find out?

"Luna." He says, staring at his hands.

"Are you talking about Lady Lunafreya?" I ask. He nods his head. "Is she ok?" I ask. Again, another nod. "Noct, talk to me." I say, tilting his head up.

"I'm supposed to marry her." He says. I step back. Luna, and Noct? No. No, no, no, no no! This can't be happening! I run a hand through my hair, my mind racing.

"I… Congrats." I whisper. He nods his head. I take another step back. I need to go. I need to leave.

"Hey, I need to do some stupid prince stuff, but I'll come check on you tonight, and I'll bring some pizza with me. Ok?" Noctis asks. I nod my head. He nods and walks off, phone already in his hand. Once I can't see him anymore, I turn and jog away. I get to the bottoms steps when my phone rings. I don't look at the caller's name, I just answer.

"Hello?" I say.

"Good, you picked up. It's so nice to hear your voice, but it sounds a bit off. What's the matter Prompto? Had some bad news?" Ardyn laughs. A shiver goes up my spine, and not the good kind.

"Ardyn." I breathe.

"You're correct! To make this as simple and straight forward for your deficient mind, kill Noctis within five days, or there will be a punishment." Ardyn says. My eyes go wide.

"I don't care if you torture me. I can take it." I say.

"Well then, I must ask. Can Noctis?" Ardyn asks. I freeze.

"No, don't. I'll do anything, just leave him alone." I say. Not Noctis. I'll take it, I'd take the torture.

"But you won't do anything, will you? You can't seem to kill him. Perhaps you need some motivation? Or a reminder. Do you think he likes the dark? You always took to it rather well, but he seems like the type who wouldn't understand. He'd try to escape, and you know what happens to those who try. Maybe the light would suit him better. Would it hurt him the same way it hurt you, or would I have to step in? You know how much I can make you hurt. You know how long I can make it last. You know no one will ever find him, like no one found you. I can stretch it out for days, maybe even weeks, until he doesn't even have a voice left to beg with."

"Please, no."

"I wonder if I should send him to his father piece by piece. What would he treasure more, his heart, his head? I might send those two together, I'm sure the King would appreciate it."

"Stop!"

"I won't. I will never stop, boy, I will always be there, always close by, making sure you know to do the right thing. After all, killing him would be the right thing to do. Think of it as a mercy, if it helps that bleeding heart of yours." He sneers. He hangs up before I can say a word.

There's no escape. I've got nowhere to turn. I can't kill Noctis, not when I love him. Oh Gods, I love him. That's what I've been feeling. I can't tell him I was going to assassinate him, I'll lose Noct forever. It's me. The only way to end this is if I die. It's the only way Noctis will be safe. And, after all now there's Lunafreya. I've heard so much about her, she's beautiful, clever, kind and everybody loves her. I won't compare to her in the slightest. And this way, I'll be protecting them, like I'm a real Crownsguard. I won't be killing anyone anymore. I won't be what he made me. I need to end this.

I rush home, but the Gods seem to feel how I do, as it starts to pour. When I get inside I shiver and take my clothes off, throwing them away from me. My phone vibrates, but I ignore it. This needs to be done. I put one clean nightclothes, and sit down at my table. I stare at the paper in front of me. How am I supposed to write this? How am I supposed to tell Noct that I was sent to kill him, but instead I fell in love. I sighed and picked up the pencil. My phone wouldn't stop, so I silenced it. It took some time, but once the letter was done, I felt relieved. Now Noctis will know why I did this. He will understand.

I close the bedroom door behind me, and I sit down in front of the window that overlooks the city. It's not the view Noct showed me, but it's still beautiful. I close my eyes, and bring the gun up towards my head, setting my finger on the trigger. My bedroom door slams open and I wince. I look back, but I can barely make out who it is through my tears.

"Prompto." Noctis says. He rushes towards me, taking the gun away, and throwing it across the room.

"No! No, get out! I'm trying to, I'm." I try to push him away, but he pulls me into a hug. I sob into his chest, gasping for air. After a while, I calm down enough for Noctis to pull away. I wipe a tear away, but then he grabs my arm.

"What's that?" He ask, his fingers skimming against my barcode. My heart freezes.

"It's a tattoo. I got it when I was a teen, stupid thing, that's why I um, cover it." I say. He nods his head, but doesn't stop his fingers. "How did you know to come find me?" I ask after a minute of silence.

"Ignis told me you weren't picking up his, or Gladio's calls. I was worried. I didn't get pizza, sorry." Noct says. I give him a half smile. "Speaking of, I got to call them." Noct says pulling out his phone. Ignis picks up quickly and Noctis explains that I'm fine. "Also, I'm gonna be staying here with him tonight." Noctis says. There is a no discussions tone in his voice, which Iggy must hear. He hangs up. I fiddle with the hem of my shirt.

"Why?" Noctis asks. I know what he's asking, but I can't explain, not now at least.

"Please, not… not tonight." I say. I duck my head, I can't look him in the eyes. I was supposed to save him. I couldn't even do that.

"Ok, I won't press. Please talk to me if you're feeling panicky, or anything like this ok? I'm here for you Prompto." Noctis says taking both of my hands in his, and pulling me into a hug.

"Ok, I promise." I say into, holding onto him tightly.

"Good, I'm not sure what I would do without you Prom." He says and pulls away. I can't help but let out a yawn, it's been an exhausting day.

"Alright, you need sleep." Noctis says leading me to the bed. I nod, and slowly climb in. "Is it ok if I stay and sleep in here with you?" Noct asks. I nod, and curl up on my side as he slides in. Soon though, his breathing is steading, and he is snoring slightly. I turn over and look at him. He looks so peaceful. His bangs fall in front of his face, and I carefully push them aside. He needs to stay alive, and I want to be right there beside him.


End file.
